Yes, Techstars Is A Lot Like The Military. Seriously.

The first day of our second-ever Techstars Patriot Boot Camp kicks off today, a program we host annually to support veteran entrepreneurs. In honor of one of our participants last year being accepted into a powered by Techstars program (Nexercise also participated last year and is now in session at Techstars in Chicago and Tak Lo, participant last year, was an Associate at our NYC program and is now Program Manager at Techstars in London), we bring you the below post by Dave Cass, CEO of Uvize.

Uvize is entering week four of the Kaplan Education Technology Accelerator, powered by Techstars, a mentor-driven venture accelerator. After only a few weeks, we are feeling comfortable with the Techstars “Do More Faster” culture and I’m surprised to say this: it’s a whole lot like the military (albeit with way less physical activity). In fact, the parallels are why this is the perfect environment for our team of veterans to grow our venture. Below are some reasons why this is much like the military:

Growth Occurs Outside Your Comfort ZoneDuring the first phase of pilot training, I was blindfolded and submerged underwater while strapped in a tank. It wasn’t very comfortable, but I learned fast–there was no alternative. Techstars takes a similar approach. Our days are endless and goals are set that push you to a level that exceeds reason. We’re moving uncomfortably fast and the only solution is to learn faster.

Everyone Has Each Other’s BackTwo of the things I miss most about the military is the camaraderie and the 100% trust in my fellow troops. In Techstars, we are are working with nine other teams, alumni and countless mentors. We can call each other any time and count on one another for assistance. In the military, contrary to popular belief, orders and chain-of-command don’t facilitate trust between people, the culture does. Techstars embraces the exact same culture based on trust and mutual contribution.

Insensitive LeadershipI say this in jest (sort of). I’ll never forget one of my flight school instructors barking at me before a flight, “Ensign Cass, today my goal is to make your head explode.” Military instructors are not known for their kind words and, in fact, most trainees think of them as “###holes” during training. Afterwards, however, we thank them because they’re the reason we succeed. Similarly, Techstars mentors are blunt and will ruthlessly attack your venture from every angle. My hunch is that we will thank them for it one day.

Our mission is to improve the graduation rates and GPA’s of military veterans in college. This is our only mission and we are focused. Techstars is the perfect partnership for us; we are veterans who love the fast-paced and demanding culture. It motivates us and epitomizes Uvize’s mission to serve those troops who give under the greatest of pressures.

You can follow along with Patriot Boot Camp’s three day session at #techstarspbc on Twitter.

Great blog post! I really like and appreciate the comparison between Techstars and the military. Thank you for your service, and even more thanks for your work to help other veterans succeed in school! As a former teacher, I cannot stress enough that education is important, and getting as much as possible out of an education is essential. Best wishes in your pursuits!